When Maven Optics competes with the competition, they go all out.
They dove right into the LPVO world with the 1-10x configuration as its first LPVO.
Priced in the mid-tier class, the Maven RS.6 1-10x is an exceptional LPV. It's feature packed to the max with high magnification, a fat 34mm tube, MIL and MOA FFP reticles, push/pull locking elevation turret, zero stop, capped windage, Japanese glass, a huge integrated throw lever, and dual illumination.
Naturally, I had to conduct a Maven RS.6 1-10x LPVO review of course.
Quick Overview...
What I Like: Dual illumination
What I Don’t Like: Needs better third turret knurling
Best Uses: Hunting, Duty Use, Tactical, Competition, AR-15, Close to Mid-Range Engagement
- Magnification: 1-10x
- Objective Diameter: 28mm
- Coatings: FMC
- FOV: 116.6-11.7 ft/100 yds
- Eye Relief: 99-83 mm
- Adjustments: .25 MOA/0.1 MIL
- Dimensions: 34mm tube / 10.6” (L) / 23.7 oz
My Verdict: On average, most LPVO scopes cannot realistically go to distance, but it appears the Maven RS.6 1-10x FFP LPVO can. It has the reticle and features to make it happen without compromising on true 1x performance. The RS.6 is a scope I recommend for multiple professional applications.
Why Trust Me?
After hundreds of hours of hand-testing riflescopes & red dot sights in the field and on the hunt, and thousands more hours researching, writing, photographing and creating videos about them, I feel I have earned the title of expert when it comes to optics!
Optics are not just my passion, but also my full-time job!
I get my hands on as many of the optics I test as possible (through buying, borrowing or begging!) and run them through their paces to make sure they will perform out in field.
Check out our optics testing process here.
Over a decade of experience tagging along on hunts, sighting in scopes, and trouble-shooting at the range has been integral in putting together this Maven RS.6 1-10x28 review.
Who is the Maven RS.6 1-10x LPVO Best Suited to?
The RS.6 1-10x LPVO represents the “long-range” bracket for low power variable optic scopes. It is best suited to those who want both quality and performance from a high-power LPVO in the under $2000 range.
Though classified as the mid-tier category, the Maven RS scope could stand to be compared to some of the best in the industry. I recommend it for law enforcement, hunting, and for competition.
How Does the Maven RS.6 1-10x LPVO Perform?
The Maven RS.6 1-10x is designed to go those long-range distances for an LPVO. If you’re going to go beyond 500 yards with one, the 1-10x configuration is generally the ideal route to go if you’re wanting the best of 1x as well as some long-range versatility in one package.
In all transparency, I’ve had the RS.6 in my possession for quite some time before I physically got to writing this review. It’s been one of the only scopes of the year that has had my sole attention for at least 5 months.
After range-testing the Maven LPVO, digiscoping in the field with it, and constant mounting and remounting, I think the RS.6 is probably too good for me.
The quality and performance from 1x to 10x is unprecedented in my bag of experience. Very little was needed to get true 1x performance. The illumination far exceeded my expectations for an LPVO. The max 10x image quality is better than “acceptable” for all the long-range shooting you’ll attempt with the RS.6.
It’s my opinion that the Maven RS.6 1-10x FFP LPVO would make an excellent professional scope on a duty rifle. The RS.6 would also be exceptionally apt for hunting including backcountry. It would also be a great option for competition shooting.
Features & Benefits
Dual Illumination
It’s been a long wait for Maven to get on board the illumination band wagon. Not only did they jump right on, but they also went ahead and provided dual illumination on the same scope – red and green.
I’d say the illumination has been done exceptionally well for an LPVO. I’ve never been too impressed when it comes to riflescope illumination but the RS.6 is bright enough for daylight use. It’s not nuclear bright like a red dot sight, but it is highly visible in daylight conditions and that’s more than I can say for many a LPVO.
When it comes to lowlight illumination, it’s pretty bright and could probably stand to get dimmer, but it doesn’t come anywhere near to washing out the FOV. If you want illumination because you want to see the reticle, the RS.6 won’t disappoint. I’m actually really proud of Maven for the illumination quality.
There are only five intensity levels for each color with intermittent off positions between every level. If you’re experiencing reticle bleeding, I reckon you could stand to turn the intensity down a notch or stop trying to look through the scope indoors… seriously.
My recommendation is to pick one color and zero with it. Because each color requires using a different LED, there is a possibility that there will be POI shift that will be very noticeable the further out you go. With a 1-10x LPVO, the point is to go further. Pick one color and stick with it.
MOA3-LPI Reticle
The MOA3-LPI (MOA) and CFR2-LPI (MIL) reticles are both in the first focal plane (FFP) and get larger as you increase the magnification. I think this is absolutely appropriate for the 1-10x configuration and the long-range potential it offers.
At 1x, you’re essentially looking at an illuminated ring and you will need the illumination to get a nice, highly visible view of that center aiming point. With it on, there’s really nothing holding you back from using it as a quick target acquisition scope for immediate engagement.
With the MOA3-LPI reticle, I don’t see why you couldn’t try your hand at going out to 1000 yards with it. At 10x power, you have 50 MOA of on-board drop available right through your scope. Alongside that you’ll also need to take advantage of that 20 MOA worth of windage holdovers.
Though I’d say the drop reticle is simple and easy on the eyes, I’d say it’s better suited to slow-fire engagement. With training and known shooting engagements, the MOA3 reticle could not only be a fast reticle to use but very intuitive too.
It really is a very nice, crisp reticle. It’s small as FFP reticles usually are at 1x but that tends to be the compromise. However, it certainly opens up at 3.5-4x for a visible and usable view of the drop reticle in my opinion.
Optical Quality
As expected for a RS scope, it’s made in Japan with the same exceptional glass that we’ve come to expect from Maven. I really like the huge 46mm eyepiece lens that appears to enhance the natural two-eyes-open experience at 1x.
I’d say the Maven RS.6 has one of the best 1x performance I’ve seen in an LPVO yet. Considering that I’m using the diopter for the best view at 1x, there is a non-concerning amount of drop off at max magnification in my opinion.
You do lose a smidgeon of contrast and resolution but that is to be expected. I’m still quite impressed with the chromatic aberration control at 10x in the harshest testing conditions. The depth of field at 10x power is better than good and with a solid position you shouldn’t have any issues scoping out backcountry terrain for big horn sheep or elusive Coues. I should mention that this is all without issue to reticle sharpness from 1x right up to 10x.
The eye relief and eye box on the Maven LPVO is the most comfortable I think I’ve ever experienced with an LPV. I expect that long and comfy eyebox at 1x but I didn’t realize it would extend all the way to 10x too. The eyebox does get more constricting at max mag, but it’s one of the easiest eyeboxes to stay inside that I’ve tested yet. I do wonder if that massive ocular lens has something to do with it (I have a smug grin on my face).
High-end Turrets
The Maven RS.6 1-10x is designed to be a short to mid-range LPVO champ. The key features that give credibility to its versatile effective range is obviously its 1-10x configuration and onboard reticle. However, if you’re going to dial, the RS.6 has the turrets to make it happen quite conveniently.
The windage is capped which is a highly sought-after feature I reckon but the elevation is oversized and exposed. The turret is a push/pull locking turret, so it’s not going to move under any circumstances until you pull that thing up.
When you do have it pulled up you can see that the reference line will also indicate what revolution you’re on – 1st or 2nd.
Convenient for turret twisters is the zero stop, so you’ll come to a hard mechanical stop. Unfortunately, you do lose about 50% of your adjustment range to the zero stop. I counted about 49.5 MOA available adjustment from the zero stop.
Still, that’s some very good range with a 100-yard zero which is probably best given that the parallax setting is fixed at 100 yards.
Turrets are crisp, very audible, and as far as my box test at the range, I don’t recall any shifting or issues between revolutions. With all its capabilities, this scope deserves to be put to use in both extremes – 1x engagement and long-range precision work (for an LPV).
Build & Overall Appearance
On average, Maven optics are generally heavier than alternatives with the same configuration. However, quality and performance should outweigh size when the best is required. The RS.6 is on the hefty side weighing in at about 24 oz. Add a 34mm cantilever mount to the mix, and it’s about a 30 oz rig.
I personally like the tough and oversized look of the scope and cantilever mount. I used the Swampfox Freedom mount in the 34mm size since the RS.6 has a 34mm tube.
You may see conflicting specs for the length of the scope, but I confirmed that the accurate length is approximately 10.6” (I measured it myself).
I really like the knurling, and I especially appreciate the ultra-wide magnification ring with that massive power throw lever. It’s so convenient to put left hand to scope and make the changes you need quickly and easily. There is no such thing as “hunting” for the ring on the Maven LPVO.
Like all of Maven’s optics, it’s waterproof and fogproof having been nitrogen-purged. The quality is felt in the hand and I’d daresay visibly and physically superior than alternatives from Primary Arms, Athlon, and if truth be told, I’d go with this over the Trijicon VCOG and EOtech Vudu.
Limitations of the Maven RS.6 1-10x LPVO
Needs Better Third Turret Knurling
I knew right away what my primary complaint would be – the lack of knurling on the third turret. I do love fat, oversized turrets with sexy knurling, so I really wish the illumination/battery compartment knob didn’t get overlooked.
Adjusting the illumination isn’t an issue at all, but it’s getting that battery compartment open - it’s so thin that there is barely anything to grab.
I figured it out though. Use your right hand to hold the illumination part of the knob static while the left hand loosens the battery compartment cap. It sounds so simple because it is.
I still kinda wish that the illumination knob had the same knurling on it as the other turrets even with its slimmer profile.
Popular Questions About the Maven RS.6 1-10x LPV
The battery life of the Maven RS.6 LPVO is still untested, but it’s likely to provide somewhere between 150-600 hours. This could mean about a week of constant use or two weeks of intermittent use. The RS.6 comes with a CR2032 battery.
I’ve not yet killed the battery that has come with the Maven LPVO because the intermittent off positions make it easy to turn the illumination off. Use it.
In general, LPVO scopes with illumination do not compare to red dots in terms of dot brightness. The Maven RS.6 1-10x has 5 illumination settings per color (red and green) and is what I would call “daytime” bright. It’s definitely visible during the day but is not nuclear bright like a RDS.
The Maven RS.6 1-10x scope has a capped windage turret and a locking elevation turret. I would trust the locking mechanism on the elevation turret on a hunting rig while out in the field. Even if for some reason (likely user error) it came unlocked, the elevation turret features a zero stop.
At the time of this Maven RS.6 field test review, the RS.6 1-10x is only available with the FFP reticle. There is the MOA3-LPI reticle that is in the MOA and then there is the CFR2-LPI that is in MILs. Each reticle comes with matching turrets on the scope. An SFP reticle is not yet available.
Maven has an unconditional lifetime warranty on all their optics including the RS.6 1-10x28 LPVO. You don’t need to register the scope nor keep proof of purchase. You don’t even need to be the original owner. Basically, if it’s a Maven and it needs some damage or defective repair, let them know.
The Maven RS.6 1-10x28 FFP LPVO is a premium scope that looks great and performs excellently. Compared to its competition and those twice its price, it’s difficult to justify spending more and passing up the RS.6 in my opinion.
I think it’ll hold up to the demands of professional applications. While you might think it’s too good to be on a truck or SHTF gun, if you want premium quality without spending premium cost, Maven’s LPV is a no-brainer.
You might get better glass, say from a *ahem* HD Gen III alternative (and that’s without a few of the bells and whistles that the RS has), but then who’s got 4K for that huh? I think it’s clear where value and performance lies.
A massive thanks to Maven Optics for sending me this riflescope to field test. Please note, even though this product was provided by the manufacturer, all opinions expressed are my own and not in any way influenced by any manufacturers.
Further Reading
